Tractor body frame with supple-mentary power transmitting and dividing apparatus



Oct. 6, 1953 H. A. FERGUSON ETAL TRACTOR BODY FRAME WITH SUPPLEMENTARY POWER TRANSMITTING AND DIVIDING APPQRATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 51 1951 Lwehims. Henry (Z. Ergusmv .Eclm und/ (fed W Q) Ralph C. Jgyfrpwskb Oct. 6, 1953 TRANSMITTING AND DIVIDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shet 2- Filed Aug. 31 1951 mm mm M A k a a 2 7 h m mm mm mm M H Q Q a] Q 3 m3 W mmm m EH9? E 5 1 W N iimm mi w NWSfl m 6% mm A m: 5% M @NNW. HN NM QW a. H mm A mm Nu MN .fi a. m 3 n om g HQ M. 8 fiQH mm. :5 m mm E E M m an .mmm H. m E w Wu m R m. m M: mm mm. mm 3 m? m9 mm N. mm mm Jamel-livid 112211219 a. Fe

P mund/ uscm/ 27m fi OW Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TR o roR ony FRAME WI'TTH'SURPLEy MENTARY POWER TRANSMITTING AND DIVIDING 'APPARATUS Henry A. Ferguson-,Lombard; and Ralph C. Boyle and Edmund JedrzykoWski, Chicago, 111., assignors to International Harvester compan 'aoorporation of New Jersey 2 I "ADIlIiGatiOn'AUg'flSt3I, 1951, SeriaINoYZM GY-G '11 Claims. (01. 74:15.63)

This invention concerns tractor vehicles hav abody-frame casing, and relates more in particular to the combination with a portion of such casing of power-transmitting apparatus enclosed therein for optionally amplifying torque transmitted from the vehicle engine'to the trac= tion wheels, the apparatus also including a train receiving power from the tractor engine and extending through the casing for independent power takeoff.

A common form of farm tractor includes a body frame casing projecting rearwardly to transversely extending rear axle housings. An enlarged diameter part of the frame casing immediately rearwardly of the engine contains a main clutchlthrough which power is transmittable to and through a long shaft extending through a forward portion of the casing into a rearward portion thereof contai ing changespeeo gearin by means of which the rear axles are drivable atselective speeds relative to the engine. Because of the slow'speed atvvhich vemoles of this character are driven, there is insufficient vehicle inertia to maintain forward moveme t of the vehicle during Shifting from a low speed connection of the transmission to a higher speed connection thereof. This is particularly true when the vehicle is towing earthworking tools, for example, a plow. Under these circumstances the Vehicle operator must start the vehicle and its load from rest in a pro-selected speed conne'ctionthroush the transmission. If soil conditions vary during operation of the equipment, making it possible to travel at a greater speed than initially selected, the operator must allow the tractor to come to rest before selecting the higher speed connection in the transmission. Conversely, if the working conditions for the equipment should change so more poweris required to propel the equipment than is available at a selected speed, thejvehicle will necessarily be brought to rest before "shiftingihto a lower speed connection.

A general object of this invention is the-provision in a tractor frame casing forwardly of the change-speed transmission unit of a torqueamplifying unit capable of substantially instan taneous adjustment into a torque amplifying con-- dition for transmitting torque to theinput shaft of the transmission at' an increased value, though slower-speed, thereby making it unnecessary to bring the vehicle to rest incident to establishing an overall ratio or speed transmission and a cor respondin ly higher torque to enable the vehicl to proceed without overloading the engine;

2 Much time is savedbythe operator by employing such a torque amplifying unit in-oomplemental supplementary relation with the conventional transmitting unit, in-additio'n to avoiding numerous engine-overload periods.

A further object is the provision in a tractor frame having a rear body-frame casing separable from a-front bodyframe casing, of a reinforcing bulkhead within the front frame casing in combination with a casing tor a torque amplifier unit connected between the bulkhead and a portion of the rear framecasingto rigidity the connection between these frame casings.

Still another object is the provision in the frame casing of the tractor-forwardly of the conventional change-speed transmission unit of a dry compartment defined by fore and aft separated body reinforcing bulkheadsfor enclosing a control clutch of the torque amplifying unit.

Another object is the provision of a tractor body'according to the preceding object wherein there are lubricant-containing compartments respectively forwardly and rearwardly of the dry compartment and intercommunicative through a passage near the bottom of the bulk= heads, and such channel being embraced by a body rigidify'ing wall extending between thebulkheads Another object'is the provision of a com -am m'ented tractor body easing hav-ing a hollow hulkhead at the forward side of a drycompartment, and. wherein this hollo'w bulkhead contains power take-01f gearing driven from drive shaft means of thetracton'and a power'tak'e-o'ff shaft extending rearwardly through the tractor body by way of a shaft-accommodating passage embraced by a body rigidifying wall extending from therea'r Wall or. the hollow'bulkhead to the rear wall of the dry com artment.

"rheab'ove and other desirable object's irflierent in and encompassed by the invention will be elucidated by the ensuing description, the ap-- p'rid'ed' claims and the annexed drawings, wherein:

1 is a side 'levatiorial view or a typical farm tractor 'havihg'incorporated into the body frame casing'thereof supplementary power transmuting apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, 'the'reartraction wheel of thetra'ctor on the near side of the vehicle being removed for e'iipo'sing'moreof the tractor body.

Fig. 21's an enlarged fraem'entar vertica section'al view "taken throu h the tractor frame body "and showing parts of thesupplementary'powen transmitting apparatus in section.

With continued reference to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a wheel tractor Ii of the tricycle type supported at its front end upon a steering truck 52, and at its rear end by traction wheels I3, of which that nearest the viewer has been removed for exposing a rear axle housing I4 and a rear portion of the tractor frame casing l5. The tractor has the usual erators seat l6 and steering wheel I! manipulative of the steering truck l2 for steering the vehicle. An engine E having a flywheel 18 upon the rear end of its crankshaft l9, Fig. 2, is effective through a conventional friction clutch C for driving a drive shaft means 2 |-22 of the tractor power transmitting and dividing apparatus at engine speed. A back plate 23 of the clutch C is rigidly secured at its perimeter by cap screws 24 to the rear side of the flywheel l8, and this back plate has an internally splined hub 25 in driving relation with a tubular drive shaft 22 at splines 25 thereof. A shaft component 21 of the drive shaft means 2 l22 has a splined connection at 21 with a driven disk 28 of the clutch C. A plurality of springs 29 spaced circumferentially of the back plate 23, one being shown in Fig. 2, normally hold the clutch engaged by forcing an annular pressure plate 3! against the rear face of the clutch disk 28 whereby this disk is frictionally held between such pressure plate and the rear face of the flywheel l8. Release of the clutch disk 28 for disengaging the shaft 2| from the engine is accomplished conventionally by manual force against a throw-out bearing unit 32 for pressing the inner ends of the clutch levers 33 (one being shown) forward, thereby displacing the outer ends of these levers and the pressure plate 3| rearwarly while the levers pivot upon the fulcrum elements 34 mounted on the back plate 23. The tubular drive shaft 22 is permanently connected through the hub 25, back plate 23 and flywheel I8 for rotation with the engine crankshaft.

The tractor body frame l comprises a rear frame casing 35 connected at its front end with a front frame casing 36. A forward end portion of the front frame casing is transvesely enlarged to form the usual bell housing 31 for accommodating the clutch C. A circle of dowels 38, of which one is shown in the lower part of Fig. 2, align the front and rear frame casings and a circle of cap screws 39, Fig. I, prevent endwise separation of these frame casings.

The frame casing 36 includes a front compartment 4| separated from a central'compartment 52 by a forward hollow bulkhead 43, and also includes a rear compartment 45 separated from the central compartment 42 by a more rearward bulkhead 45. The forward hollow bulkhead 43 has a rear wall 46 which cooperates with a concavoconvex cover plate 41 constituting a forward wall of this bulkhead to form a lubricant-containing gear casing 48. A bracing wall 49 extends be tween the rearward wall 46 of the forward bulkhead and the bulkhead 45, such bracing wall embracing a shaft-receiving channel 5i which communicates between the interior of the hollow bulkhead 33 and space rearwardly of the bulkhead 45. The shaft-receiving channel Si is communicatively isolated from the central compartment 42 which is a dry compartment for housing a releasable friction clutch 52 in control of a torque amplifying unit 53. Lower parts of the bracing wall 49 also embrace a lubricant-confining channel 55 which, at its forward end, communicates with the lower part of the gear casing 48 and which through an opening 55 in the lower 4 part of the bulkhead 45 communicates with the more rearward compartment M. The bracing wall 49 communicatively isolates the lubricant confining passage 54 from the dry clutch-receiving compartment 42.

The tubular drive shaft 22 is journaled in bearing units 56 and 51 respectively in the rearward and forward walls of the hollow bulkhead 43. Annular sealing devices 58 and 59 cooperate between sections of this tubular drive shaft and bulkhead wall components ill and 62 to prevent migration of lubricant from the gear casing 48 into the dry compartment #32 and into the 117; compartment 41 of the bell housing 31. A gear 63 constrained for rotation with the tubular drive shaft 22 meshes with and drives a gear 64 mounted on and constraining a power take-off shaft component 55 to rotate therewith. This power take-off shaft component is supported by antifriction bearing units 66 and B7 and extends rearwardly through the shaft-receiving channel 5|. The power take-off shaft component 55 is drivingly coupled with a power take-off shaft component 65a, splined at 68 to a sleeve 69, welded at H to a rear end portion of the shaft component 65. The power take-off shaft 55-65a extends rearwardly through the rear frame casing 35 and outwardly through the rear end thereof to accommodate attachment of auxiliary equipment to be driven from the tractor engine; see Fig.1.

A torque amplifier unit casing 12 has a reduced diameter cylindrical portion 73 piloted in a cylindrical opening i l in a front wall 75 of the rear frame casing 35. A shoulder '15 adjacent the reduced diameter section i3 abuts against the front face ll of said front wall 15. Also abutting against the front face 11 of the casing front wall 75 is a flange-like extension T8 of the torque casing 12 to facilitate anchoring of this casing rigidly to the wall I5. An opening 19 in the flangelike extension 18 supports an anti-friction hear-- ing unit 8i wherein there is journaled the for-' ward end of a tubular countershaft 82 of a conventional change-speed transmission unit 63 housed by the rear frame casing 35. Only gears 89 and 92 and a driven shaft ell of this transmission unit are shown in addition to the countershaft 82. The power take-off shaft 65-65a projects coaxially through this transmission countershaft 82 for rotation independently thereof.

A forward reduced diameter section 89 of the torque amplifying unit casing i2 is piloted in an opening 84 of the rear bulkhead wall 45. Such piloting of the torque amplifying unit casing cylindrical sections 13 and [it in the rear frame casing opening it and in the bulkhead opening 84 of the front frame casing adds to the rigidity of the tractor body frame. A plurality of side wall openings 85, one being shown in Fig. 2, accommodates transfer of lubricant between the interior of this casing 12 and the tractor body compartment 44.

With continued reference to the torque amplifying unit 53, the rearward end of the casing 12 contains an anti-friction bearing unit 86 wherein there is journaled an output shaft 8'! having a sun gear 88 on its inner or forward end and having respectively small and large diameter gears 89 and 9] on a rear end portion thereof. This shaft 81 is for transmitting power to the power input element 82 of the change-speed transmission 83, such transmission of power taking place through the gear 89 and a gear 92 with which the power input element or tubular countershaft 82 is constrained for rotation. l F-Ihe L -gear all is for transmitting-power to a belt pulley. 1'( not shown);

A planet gear carrier 93 compriseseencl plates- 94 and 95 rigidly-connected to a carrier frame by bearing rods "96 (one'being shown), spaced gcircumierentiallyaboutthe axis of the outputashaft 81. The carrier end plate 84' has'aJtubularexten-l sion 91 journaled upon 'the innerperiphery of ta ring '98 within the casing 12 by .=means of:antifriction bearing rollers 99. A section Illl :of the ring 98 forms the outerelement of antover-running-clutch unit I02, whereas a section [03 of1the tubular element 91 forms the cammed inner part of such over-running clutch cooperable with clutch rollers IM to prevent rotation of the car rier 93 counter-clockwise, as viewed from .the right end of the figure, while permitting-clockwise rotation of the carrier. v

tubular extension m5 of the carrier plate 95'constitutes a control element for the torque amplifying unit 53 and is journale'dwithin the front wall of thecasingl'Z upon an anti-friction bearing unit Hi6. An annular seal Ill! prevents leakageof lubricant from the interior of the Gasing '12 into the dry compartment 42. A clutch backing plate element I08 is splinedto the tubular control element Ifii'at IBS and has constrained for rotation therewith a pressure plate i l I which is urgedby springs M2 to press a disk H3 of the clutch'52between the-parts I II and-I08. This disk 3 is 'splined-at '4 to an extension 5 of the drive shaft 2| and splined thereto at H6. Clutch 52 is normally held engaged by springs H2 but can be released at-will bylrearward movementof a clutch throw-outb'earing It! andconsequent pivoting of clutch throw-out levers H8 upon 'ful" crum members 119 for-pulling the pressure plate I H forwardly from thebacking platelflB. When the clutch 5'2 isengaged'the drive shaft 2I-.i:'l5 and the control element I95 of the-torque amplifying .unit '53 will be constrained for unitary rotation, and when the clutch is disengaged .the drive shaft *2I--I-I'5 can rotate relatively to the element I 05.

Each .of the'bearing shafts 9B of-the planetary gear carrier 93 has a gear cluster I21 journaled thereon. Each cluster comprises a'small-diameter gear I22 meshed-with the sun gear 88 and a large diametergear I23 meshed with a sun gear I24 on the back end of the drive shaft component 1115i An annular sealing element I25 coacts'between the. tubular control element 105 and the drive shaft component Itiito prevent escape of lubricant (between these parts) from the interior of'the carrier 93 into the dry compartment,

Operation of the apparatus Inasmuch as the tubular drive shaft 22 is cou-- pled through, .the 'main clutch backing plate 23 and the flywheel I8 with the-engine crankshaft l9, this drive shaft will rotate continuously irrespective of whether the main clutch 'C' is engaged or disengaged. The gears "63 and '64 are, therefore, operable from the constantly driven shaft 22 to cause constant rotation of the power takeoff. shaft 65-65,a. I

In the normal operation of :thevehiole, thetwo clutches C and 52 will be engaged and the change-speed transmission unit .83 :will have a drive sshafti I--e.I:l-.5, the planetary gearing .of -,the torque-amplifying unit -53 will be locked up; whereby the :power output shaft e81 :of :thisunit is caused tozrotatein unison with thedrive shaft 2 I- I I5. Under these circumstances the gear 89 is driven :at engine speed counterclockwise as viewed'from the rear :or left end of the drawing in ."Fig. .2, and through the gear 92 drives the transmission countershaft 82 in the direction .for causing jorward:movement of the vehicle pro;- viding the change-speed gear unit 83 is set for forward drive. While the vehicleis thus bein driven forwardly, should :an overload condition be encountered that would normally prevent con-- tinuedLmDvement of the vehicle in .the forward speed :connection established in the change-speed transmission 83,".the operator of the tractor can release theclutch 52 by pulling rearwardly upon a 'controllever 126,:thereby moving a rod I21 and thellower end of an arm I28 rearwardly and thus rotate Val-shaft 129 and a shifter fork I3I .constrained for rotation therewith clockwise as viewed in.'Fig..2.-for shifting the throw-out bearing 32 rearwardly. When the clutch.v 52 is thus released, the 'sun gear 124, in rotating the gear clusters I2I clockwise about their axes while the gears I22 react upon the sun gear-88, tends'to rotatethe carrier 93 clockwise,.as viewed from the left end of the drawing. However, this clockwise rotational tendency of-the carrier 93 ispre'vented by the over-running brake I02, and because of the relative diameters of the gears 88, I 22, I23 and I24, the output shaft 8I will be rotated in the same direction as the driven shaftZI-I IE but at reduced speed and amplified torque. The ratio of this reduced speed of the power output shaft 8:! relatively to-the drive shaft 2 I! I 5 and the "magnitude :of the increased torque is predeterminable'by :preselection ofthe pitch diameters of the gears '88, I22, I23 and I24. .It follows, therefore, that without the operator necessarily bringing the vehicle to rest for shifting the chaneeespeed transmission unit 83 into a lower speed connection-for increasing the torque transmittable to the vehicle tractionwheels, he can instantaneously obtain this additional torque for meeting emergency driving conditions by simply pulling .rearwardly upon the control lever I26, Fig! 1, to; disengage thexclutch 52. The operator may maintain this increased torque driving condition for any time desired withoutlholding on to the lever I126 by simply allowing a catch J32 on such lever to spring upwardly in a, notch I33 of :a quad ant I 34 associated with such lever. When the emergency driving condition has terminated, the operator will press down upon a control'rod I35 :at the upper end of the lever 26 to release the catch I32 and thereby permit the clutch 5,2 to be reengaged by the force of its spring 112. This establishes thenormal driving condition of the apparatus with .the planetary gearing of the. torque amplifying unit 53 locked up whereby the power input from the element 8'! to the change-speed transmissionunit 83 will be atenginespeed.

Having thus described a single preferred em- .bodiment of the invention with the view of clearly andconcisely illustratingthe same, we claim:

11. In a tractor power transmitting and dividing apparatus, a tractor body frame having a front frame casing and a rear frame casing separably connected together at a forward'end of the rearca'sing and at a rear end of the front casing, the front casing being eompartmented and having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a, forward compartment from a central compartment, the front casing also having a rear bulkhead separating the central compartment from a rear compartment, the forward bulkhead having forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings in upper portions thereof, the rear bulkhead having an opening axially aligned with the aforesaid openings, a bracing wall extending between the bulkheads and embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the rear compartment and the hollow bulkhead, said channel being communicatively isolated from the central compartment, driving shaft means extending from the forward compartment through the axially aligned openings, a gear mounted on said shaft means and constrained for rotation therewith in the hollow bulkhead, a power-take-off shaft extending rearwardly from the interior of the hollow bulkhead through said channel and the rear bulkhead into the rear frame casing, a gear on the forward end of the power-take-off shaft and meshed with the first-named gear, a torque-amplifying unit casing mounted on the front end of the rear frame casing and projecting in piloted relation within the rear bulkhead opening to rigidify the structural connection of the front and rear casings, the torque-amplifying unit being driven by the driving shaft means and comprising a driven shaft extending rearwardly from the casing thereof into the rear frame casing, the torque-amplifying unit also comprising an element constrainable for rotation with the drive shaft structure to cause the driven shaft to 1'0- tate in unison with the drive shaft means, said element projecting forwardly through the rear bulkhead opening into the central compartment, clutch means within the central compartment selectively engageable to constrain the element to rotate with the drive shaft means or disengageable to cause speed reduction drive of said driven shaft from the drive shaft means, and sealing means in the bulkhead openings to resist migration of lubricant from the interior of the hollow bulkhead and from the torque-amplifying unit easing into the central compartment.

2. In a tractor power transmitting and dividing apparatus, a tractor body frame casing having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a forward compartment of such casing from a central compartment thereof, said casing also having a rear bulkhead separating the central compartment from a rear compartment, the forward bulkhead having forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings in upper portions thereof, the rear bulkhead having an opening axially aligned with the aforesaid openings, a bracing wall extending between the bulkheads and embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the rear compartment and the hollow bulkhead, said channel being communicatively isolated from the central compartment, driving shaft means extending from the forward compartment through the axially aligned openings, a gear mounted on said shaft means and constrained for rotation therewith in the hollow bulkhead, a power-take-oif shaft extending rearwardly from the interior of the hollow bulkhead through said channel and the rear bulkhead, a gear on the forward end of the power-take-off shaft and meshed with the first-named gear, a torque-amplifying unit casing mounted in the rear compartment in alignment with the drive shaft means from which such unit is driven, the torque-amplifying unit comprising a driven shaft extending rearwardly from the casing thereof, the torque-amplifying unit also comprising an element constrainable for rotation with the drive shaft structure to cause the driven shaft to rotate in unison with the drive shaft means, said element projecting forwardly through the rear bulkhead opening into the central compartment, clutch means within the central compartment selectively engageable to constrain the element to rotate with the driving shaft means or disengageable to cause speed reduction drive of said driven shaft from the drive shaft means, and sealing means in the bulkhead openings to resist migration of lubricant from the interior of the hollow bulkhead and from the torque-amplifying unit casing into the central bulkhead.

3. In a tractor power transmitting and dividing apparatus, a tractor body frame casing, traction propelling means supporting said frame casing, a change-speed unit in a rear portion of said frame casing and including a power input element drivable for transmitting driving force through such unit to the propelling means, the frame casing having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a forward compartment of such casing from a central compartment thereof, said casing also having a more rearward bulkhead at the rear side of the central compartment, the forward bulkhead having forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings in upper portions thereof, the rearward bulkhead having an opening axially aligned with the aforesaid openings, a bracing wall extending between the bulkheads and embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the hollow bulkhead and the interior of the frame casing rearwardly of the more rearward bulkhead, the channel being communicatively isolated from the central compartment, a tubular drive shaft extending from the forward compartment through the forward bulkhead wall opening into the hollow bulkhead, a gear mounted on said shaft and constrained to rotate therewith in the hollow bulkhead, a power-take-off shaft extending rearwardly from the interior of the hollow bulkhead through said channel and outwardly through the rear of the frame casing, a gear on the forward end of the power-take-off shaft and meshed with the first-named gear, an inner drive shaft extending rearwardly from the forward compartment through the tubular shaft and the bulkhead openings, a torque-amplifying unit in the frame casing between the rearward bulkhead and the change-speed unit and drivingly connected between the inner drive shaft and the power input element of such change-speed unit, the torqueamplifying unit comprising a tubular control element projecting forwardly concentrically about the inner drive shaft into the central compartment and constrainable for rotation with such drive shaft to cause the torque-amplifying unit to drive the change-speed input element at the speed of the inner drive shaft, friction clutch means in the central compartment and selectively engageable to constrain said element to rotate with said inner drive shaft or disengageable to cause the torque-amplifying unit to drive the power input element at reduced speed, and sealing means in the openings in the rear wall of the hollow bulkhead and in the more rearward bulkhead and cooperating with the tubular drive shaft and with the tubular control element to resist passage of lubricant through such openings into the central compartment.

4; Ida tractor, a: body frame having-a-front:

frame casing, and a rearframecasing sep'arably connected together at a forward end of the rear casing and at a rear end of the front casing, the

forward casingbeingcompartmented and havinga forward transverse bulkhead separating. a for-- ward compartment from a central compartment,-

the-front casing also having a rear bulkhead: separating the central compartment from arear compartment, said bulkheads having axiallyaligned openings in upper portions thereof, a drive shaft extending from the forward compartment through saidopenings, a torque-amplifying unit casing mounted on the front end of the-rear frame casingand projecting in piloted-relation within the rearbulkhead-opening to rigidity the -struetural connection of the front and rear frame casings, thetorque-amplifying unit being driven by" the-drive shaft and comprising a driven shaft extending rearwardly from the casing thereof into the rear frame casing, thetorque-ampl-ifw ing unit also comprising an element constraim able for rotation with the drive shaft structure to cause the driven shaft to rotate in unison withthe drive shaft means, said element projecting forwardly through the rear bulkheadopening.

said openings, a tubular drive shaft concentrically.

about said drive shaft and ext'endingirearwardly from the front compartment into the hollow bulkhead, a body-reinforcing bulkhead at the rear side of the central compartment,v a bracing wall reaching between the rear wall of the hollow bulkhead and the more rearward bulkheadiand' embracing" a shaft-receiving, channel communicating between the hollow bulkhead an'd the interior of the frame casingrearwardlyof the more rearward bulkhead, said channel beingicor'nmu'nicatively' isolated with respect to the central compartment, a power-take-oif shaft liaving'.a rerward end portion in the hollow bulkhead and extending rearwardly through said channel and the body casing, and intermeshi ng'ge'a'rs in the hollow bulkhead respectively on the tubular drive I shaft and the pcwer-take-oif shaft withwhich theyare constrained for'rotation;

6; In a tractor, a body frame having a front frame casing and a rear frame casing separabiy connected together at the forward-end of the rear casing and the rear end of the front casing, the forward casing" being compartmented" and having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a main-clutch-accommodating bellhousing compartment from amore rearward torque-amplifier-clutch accommodating central compartment, saidebulkheadhaving forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings respectively in upper portions thereof, a more rearward bulkhead upon the rear side of the central compartment and spaced forwardly from the rear end of the front body casing, the more rearward bulkhead including an opening 1 0 in the: upper portion thereof" aligned with the first-named 1 openings and cooperable therewith for accommodating a torque-amplifier drive shaft, a bracing wall extending between the rear wall of the hollow bulkhead and the more rearwardbulkheadin lower portions thereof, said bracing wall embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between theintericr of" the hollow bulkhead and space within the frontbody' casingi rearwardly of the more rearward bulkhead; and a torque-amplifying-unit casing mounted: upon the front end of the rear body casing and projecting forwardly into piloting relation within the more rearward bulkhead opening to rigidify: the structural connection of thefront and rear casings;

7; combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein the front bod-y.- casingfand V therear body casing are intercommunica'tive at the lower portions'of their connected ends,- and wherein said bracings'wal-lcontainsasurge passage ccrn= municatingbetween the lower interior of the hollow bulkhead and space within the frame bod-yrearwardly of the more rearward bulkhead at a-lower portion thereof.

8; In a" tractor power transmitting and divid ingapparatusra tractor body frame having a front frame casing and a" rear frame casing separabl-y connected together at aforward end of the rear casing and a-ta rear end ofthefront casing. the: front casing? being oomp'artmented and having a-forward hollow transverse bulkhead separatinga forward-compartment from a cen= tral compar'tment;-.the front casing. also having a rearbulkhead. separatingthe' central com= partment from a rearcoinpartment,- the: forwardbu-llrhead having forward and rearward walls containing"axiallyaligned openings in up per portions thereon. the rear bulkhead hav inguan opfeningaxially aligned'with the afore said opening'srta bracing wall extending between the bulkhead-s and embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the rear com partment andthe hollow bulkhead,- said channel being. communieativel-y isolated from the central compartment, driving shaft means extending from theforward compartment through the axiall-yaligned openings; a: gear mounted onsaid shaft means and constrained-for rotation therewith in the hollow-bulkhead, a power takemff shaft extending; rearwardly from the interior of the hollow bulkheadthrough said channel and 'the: rear bulkhead into the rear frame cas ing}! a gear: onthe forward end of--- the power= take-off shaft andz-m'eshed with thefirst-named gear, a torque-amplifying unit casing: extending between the-rear bulkheadof the front frame casingcanda front portion ofthe: rear frame casingz to rigidify' the structural connection ofthe front I and Y rear casings, the-'torque-amplify ingiunit 'beingldriveriby I the driving shaft means and comprising a driven shaft extending rear w'ardly from thelcas'ingi thereof into the rear frame casingt the: torque-amplifying unit also ,comprisingan-element constrainable for rotationwith the driveshaft structure to-causethe driven shaftto rotatefin unison with the drive shaft means said elementprojeoting forwardlythrough the-rear: bulkhead opening into: the-centralcompartment, clutch means within the central compartment selectively engageable to constrain the element to rotate with the drive shaft means or disengageable to cause speed reduction drive of said driven shaft from the drive shaft means, and sealing means in the bulkhead openings to resist migration of lubricant from the interior of the hollow bulkhead and from the torqueamplifying unit casing into the central compartment.

9. In a tractor power transmitting and dividing apparatus, a tractor body frame having a front frame casing and a rear frame casing separably connected together at a forward end of the rear casing and at a rear end of the front casing, the front casing being compartmented and having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a forward compartment from a central compartment, the front casing also having a rear bulkhead separating the central compartment from a rear compartment, the forward bulkhead having forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings in upper portions thereof, the rear bulkhead having an opening axially aligned with the aforesaid openings, a bracing wall extending between the bulkheads and embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the rear compartment and the hollow bulkhead, said channel being communicatively isolated from the central compartment, driving shaft means extending from the forward compartment through the axially aligned openings, a gear mounted on said shaft means and constrained for rotation therewith in the hollow bulkhead, a power-take-off shaft extending rearwardly from the interior of the hollow bulkhead through said channel and the rear bulkhead into the rear frame casing, a gear on the forward end of the powertake-off shaft and meshed with the first-named gear, a torque-amplifying unit casing extending between the rear bulkhead of the front frame casing and a front portion of the rear frame casing, said unit casing being rigidly assembled with one of the frame casings and the other frame casing having a pilot portion in telescopic relation with a portion of said unit casing to rigidify the structural connection of the front and rear casings, the torque-amplifying unit being driven by the driving shaft means and comprising a driven shaft extending rearwardly from the casing thereof into the rear frame casing, the torque-amplifying unit also comprising an element constrainable for rotation with the drive shaft structure to cause the driven shaft to rotate in unison with the drive shaft means, said element projecting forwardly through the rear bulkhead opening into the central compartment, clutch means within the central compartment selectively engageable to constrain the element to rotate with the drive shaft means or disengageable to cause speed reduction drive of said driven shaft from the drive shaft means, and sealing means in the bulkhead openings to resist migration of lubricant from the interior of the hollow bulkhead and from the torqueamplifying unit casing into the central compartment.

10. In a tractor, a body frame having a front frame casing and a rear frame casing separably connected together at a forward end of the rear casing and at a rear end of the front casing, the forward casing being compartmented and having a forward transverse bulkhead separating a forward compartment from a central compartment,

the front casing also having a rear bulkhead separating the central compartment from a rear compartment, said bulkheads having axially aligned openings in upper portions thereof, a drive shaft extending from the forward compartment through said openings, a torque-amplifying unit casing extending between the rear bulkhead of the front frame casing and a front portion of the rear frame casing, said unit casing being rigidly assembled with one of the frame casings and the other frame casing having a pilot portion in telescopic relation with a portion of said unit casing to rigidify the structural connection of the front and rear frame casings, the torque-amplifying unit being driven by the drive shaft and comprising a driven shaft extending rearwardly from the casing thereof into the rear frame casing, the torque-amplifying unit also comprising an element constrainable for rotation with the drive shaft structure to cause the driven shaft to rotate in unison with the drive shaft means, said element projecting forwardly through the rear bulkhead opening into the central compartment, clutch means within the central compartment selectively engageable to constrain the element to rotate with the drive shaft means or disengageable to cause speed reduction drive of said driven shaft from the drive shaft means.

11. In a tractor, a body frame having a front frame casing and a rear frame casing separably connected together at the forward end of the rear casing and the rear end of the front casing, the forward casing being compartmented and having a forward hollow transverse bulkhead separating a main-clutch-accommodating bellhousing compartment from a more rearward torque-amplifier-clutch accommodating central compartment, said bulkhead having forward and rearward walls containing axially aligned openings respectively in upper portions thereof, a more rearward bulkhead upon the rear side of the central compartment and spaced forwardly from the rear end of the front body casing, the more rearward bulkhead including an opening in the upper portion thereof aligned with the firstnamed openings and cooperable therewith for accommodating a torque-amplifier drive shaft, a bracing wall extending between the rear wall of the hollow bulkhead and the more rearward bulkhead in lower portionsthereof, said bracing wall embracing a shaft-receiving channel communicating between the interior of the hollow bulkhead and space within the front body casing rearwardly of the more rearward bulkhead, and a torque-ampiifying-unit casing extending between the rear bulkhead of the front frame casing and a front portion of the rear frame casing, said unit casing being rigidly assembled with one of the frame casings and the other frame casing having a pilot portion in telescopic relation with a portion of said unit casing to rigidify the structural connection of the front and rear casings.

HENRY A. FERGUSON. RALPH C. BOYLE. EDMUND JEDRZYKOWSKI.

No references cited. 

